Web-printing press and drive therefor



Sept. 16 1924.

' H. A. W. WOOD ET AL WEB PRINTING PRESS AHD DRIVE THEREFOR Original Filed Jan. 24, v s Sheets-Sheet 1 5&0 1924, w 1,508,756

H. A. w. wooo ET AL;

WEB PRINTING PRESS AND DRIVE THEREFOR ori inal Kile'd Jan. 24', 49116 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I\ N hazmawv K4 72756; .14. se Wdtnes: 1 s

H. A. W. WOOD ET. AL

was PRINTING PRESS AND pxiva 'mznzr'oa 5 Sheets-Shea m x @N M 3%? N m. w v

0 N N m N 3% xv @Ww mm W V e 5 sbeJ A awn-na mess: v I JL W D Sept; 16-, 1924.] 1,508,756 H. W. WOOD ETYAL W I WEB PRINTING PRESS AND DRIVE THEREFOR f'ori inal Filed Jan. 24 91s 5 Shee 4 I {Q -J II I w I a $8 I l 8 cs 1 o R w 5 (p l f I,

Sam. 16 1924. 1,508,756

H. A. w. WOOD ET AL was PRINTING PRESS AND DRIVE/Manama Original Filed Jan. 24, 1916 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 atented gept. 1.6, 192d.

s'rA'rss .HENRY A. wrsn woon, on NEW YORK, AND .TOHN'A. rennet, or mrnnnn'rown, new

,TION, OF NEW YO N. .Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

wm-rnnarme rnnss AND nnrvn 'rnnnnron.

Application filed .i'anuary24, 1916, Serial No. 73,834. Renewed February 27, 1824;.

To all whom cit-may concern:

Be it known that :we, HENRY A. Wrsn W001) and Joan A. IgsenLL, citizens of the United States, said Woon residing at the city, county, and Stateof New York; said IsnnLL residin at Middletown, in the county of Orange an State of New York, have invented a new and useful Web-Printing Press and Drive Therefor, of; which the following is a specification.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the printing couples of a web press can be connected up so as to work in groups, either in sextuples or quads, each sextuple or quad being run independently of the others, or the Whole machine run as one unit. The invention also involves means whereby each of a plurality of motors and folders can be used for each, or all, of the diiferent quads or sextuples, and any two or more of them used'with the press, independently of the a manner in which the different units are conelevation of a double sextuple press constructed, in accordance with this invention; Fig. '2 is a plan of the driving mechanism and motors, the parts being shown with the frame of the press and all supported parts removed;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the press showing the main press drives;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the drive for the pper quad;

vF g. 5 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 6 is a plan of a portion of the same;

Fig. .7 is a side elevation of the throw-out,

- inechanism' for one'of the decks on enlarged scale;'

Fig. 8 is a central sectional view of th same with parts in elevation; v

Fig. 9 is aside elevation of the ratchet mechanism therefor -on further. enlarged scale;

Fi 10- to 15 inclusive, are diagrams showing various leads of the webs, and

. Fig-16 is a diagrammatic and elevation showing a way f leading the webs from one deck to another.

The invention is not limited to a press of any definite number ofcouples in vertical height or to any definite number of series of couples placed side by side. However, it-is shown in the drawings as applied to a double sextuple press, As applied to this press the invention is designed to provide arrangements by which the decks can be connected or coupled up and run either as three quads, two sextuples, an octuple, or

a double sextuple. It will be "seen that the six decks are labeled A, B and C in one set and D, E and F in the other. The printing couples, as indicated more fully in Fig. 1, may be of any desired kind or type suitable for web presses and the details thereof therefore will not be described in full. The course of the webs through the pr1nting couples, is indicated in this figure in a well known manner. led to an one or more of the folders G, H and J. hese parts are mounted on a frame I which is supported on a base 0.

For the purpose of operating these pgri'inting couples in groups, three motors L and M are shown. The motor K is connected by a clutch lfand gears 2 to a. shaft 3. For the purposes of the present description this shaft may be considered as the main shaft for this motor. The motor L and gears 9 with another main motor shaft The webs are then 10. The motor M in a similar manner can be connected by clutch 15 and gears 16 with a third main motor shaft 17.

The three folders G, H and J are driven by gears 7 19, and 36 respectively by means not illustrated in detail. Any desired folder drive can be used. The gear 7 is It can loose and slidable on the shaft 3. be moved along so asto mesh with the gear 18 either in the, position of that gear shown in Fig. 2 or when it is moved along so as to .mesh with gee-r19. In the latter case both I I folders G and H can be driven from the shaft 17. There is a short key on the shaft 3 near the end which enters a spline inthe gear 7 when the latteris moved to the si; tion shown in .Fig. 2. In. that case the s aft ,3 drives the folder l On the shaft 10 is a gear 35 meshing with the gear 36 on' a parallel shaft. Thesegears 7, l9 and 36 are therefore adapted to operate the three folders G, H and J and to :be connected with them and disconnected X from them by the sliding of the gears. Consequently whenany of the motor shafts, is

in operation one or more folders can also be put into operation to receive the product of the respective decks, quads, etc. of the press. I

For the purpose of directing the webs to the desired folders a series of turning bars 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 44, 45, 46 and 47 are shown, these being; adapted to be arranged in ,proper position to guide the web in the half webs from front to rear or rear to front of each deck. The webs can be led from one deck to another as indicated 111 Fig. 16 by use of guide bars 480 between the frames.

The main motor shaft 3 is constantly connected by bevel gears 4 with a shaft 12. With this shaft is constantly connected by gears 5 a vertical deck shaft 6 which runs along the first series of decks or couples A, B and ,C for operating the same. The main motor shaft 10 is constantly connected by gearing 11 with a shaft 12. The shaft 12 is constantly connected by gears 13 with a shaft 14.si'milar to the shaft 6 andrunning along the other series of decks D, E and F for operating the printing couples thereof. The shaft 17 is constantly connected by gearing 20 with a shaft 21 which by means of gears 22 is constantly connected with a shaft 23 parallel with, and close to, the shaft 6. This shaft 23 is connected by gears 27 and 28 with a shaft 24. The shaft 24 is in alignment with a shaft 26 and connected therewith by a clutch 25 which can be disengaged todisconnect these shafts. They constitute a line of shafting at the top of the frame for performing certain operations as will appear.

The two shafts 12 and 12 also constitute a line of shafting and are provided with two adjacent gears 29 and 30. They have coupling bolts 72 or the like for detachably connecting them. On the shaft 21 is slidably splined a gear 31 which can be brought into mesh with either of the gears 29 or 30, so as to drive the shaft 21 from either or vice versa.

The impression cylinders of the several decks or couples of the press are operated from the shafts 6 and 14 by means of gears 27', 27", 27, 27, 27, and 27' on these two shafts meshing with corresponding gears 28, 28", 28, 28, 28, and 28, on the shafts of the respective cylinders. These exponents correspond with the decks with which these parts of the mechanism are connected. The

gears 27 and 28 are shown in mesh for the' purpose of driving the impression cylinder of the deck A. It will be understood that the other bevel gear couples are constructed in the same way, the ,construction being shown in detail in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

The gears 27 27 and 27 are secured to the shaft 6. The gear 28' is slidably ke ed on the hub of a gear 34 which is fastened to the shaft of the press cylinder. On the outside of the hub of the gear 28" are threads which mesh with corresponding threads on the inner circumference of a hollow adjust ing gear 48. This latter gear is held against lateral movement by a plate 49 fastened to the web of the gear 34. A pinion 5O meshes with the gear 48 for turning it. This pinion is mounted on a shaft 51 supported inbearings pn the web of the gear 34 and the plate 49. On the shaft 51 is a ratchet wheel 52 fixed to it and located outside the plate 49. Two pawls 53 and 54 are pressed toward this gear by springs 55 and 56. The pawls and springs are located on the plate 49. These pawls have beveled faces 57 adjacent to the square end of the shaft 51 so that when a wrench-is applied to this shaft it en ages these beveled faces and forces the paw s out of mesh with the ratchet wheel 52. When this is done the pinion 50 can be rotated to rotate the gear 48 and cause the gear 28 to move axially in either direction so as to bring its teeth into or out of mesh with those of the ear 27. When in mesh, of course, the cylinder is driven positively from the shaft 6. When the wrench'is removed from the shaft 51 the springs 55 and 56 immediately force the pawls 53 and 54 into mesh with the ratchet 52 and lock this part of the mechanism. It will be seen, therefore,

that by this simple'means, which is duplicated on each of the decks of the press, any number of them can be connected with or disconnected from their respective shafts 6 and 14.

Furthermore all six of these decks are provided with gears corresponding with the gear 34, the others being lettered respectively 34, 34, 34, 34 and 34. The gear 34 1s connected by a gear 37 with a gear 32 fixed to the shaft 24 while the 34 is connected by a gear 38 with a gear 33 fixed to the shaft 26. From this it will be seen that the deck C can be operated from the shaft 24 and the deck 'from the shaft 26. Furthermore the sha 6 and 14 can also be operated in this manner from the shafts ill 24 and 26 in case anything happens to the other means for driving them.

On each of these shafts 24 and 26 inside the frame is a gear 60. These gears mesh with gears 61 connected with shafts 62 and 63 respectively which are connected by bevel gears 64 with other shafts, as for exam le 65. The shafts 62, 63 and 65 are provi ed with forwarding rolls 66, and these rolls therefore are operated directly and positively from their respective impression cylinders so that if the cylinders stop, the forwarding rolls, necessarily stop at the same time, and they necessarily start with, and operate at the same surface speed, as, their respective impression cylinders, or at a speed proportionate thereto.

Although there are many other combinations than the ones specifically illustrated these are shown as representing various ways in which a press of this particular type can be connected up. In order to connect the decks A and B to form a quad and run the web to the folder G the following connections maybe made, although it will be understood that there are other ways in which these parts can be connected up for the same purposeto drive from a different motor. To drive from the motor K the clutch 1 is closed. This drives the shaft 3 and the shaft l2 directly. It also drives the folder G through the gear 7 which is shifted over to the position shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 12 drives the shaft 6 as has been explained. .The gear 28 is turned as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 to bring itinto mesh with'the gear 27 a so as to drive the deck A. The deck B is connected up in the same way with the shaft 6, while the deck C is disconnected from it by throwing the gear 28 out of mesh. The

gear 29 is disconnected from the gear 30 by means of the coupling bolts 72 or breaking pins, thus separating the motor drive K from the motor drive L and stopping the shaft 12' and consequently the shaft 14. The motor M not being in operation the shaft 23 and consequently the shaft 24 are not operated, the gear 34 also being idle.

Fig. 10 at the bottom and Fig. 11 show one way in which the webs can be taken from deck B of this quad to the folder G, it being understood that thevwebs are slit by slitters before they pass over the turnin bars. The course divides here and one ha f 1) passes over the bars 40 while the other I) simply passes over the forwarding rolls 66 and both webs are brought together over the drag roll.71 and directed to the folder G which is not shown in detail, as any ordinary type can be employed. The

slit webs a and a from the deck A are brought to the same folder, in a similar way. In order to connect up decks D and E as a quad and direct the web to the folder J,

while the decks A and B are connected as above, the'motor L is operated and connect ed with its shaft 10 by the clutch'8, the gear 35 being thrown over to connect with the folder gear 36. In this case the shaft 10 will operate the shaft 12 and the shaft 1- The deck F is disconnected from the shaft 14 by throwing the gear 28 out of mesh with the gear 27. Thus the shaft 26 will not be operated from the shaft 14. The gears 29 and 30 are also disconnected. The webs from the decks D and E pass to the folder J in the manner indicated at the top of Fig.

10 the course being similar to that shown in V and the clutch 25 thrown in so that the line of shafting 24 and 26 is put into operation. The decks C and F are operated through the-gears 37 and 38. This arrangement is shown in Figs. 1,4 and 15, in which the web 0 from the deck F is brought over into registration with the web of the deck C, .being first slit into halves by a slitter'70 and then passes over bars 46 and 47. The latter web is also slit and half of it brought to the same folder H in this case. To take the full web across in a similar way only the bars 47 are used in each deck as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and the webs are slit afterwards by slitter 73.

In order to connect up the three decks A,

B and C to form a sextuple driven by the This ar- I In order to connect up all the decks or 2 couples to form a unit capable of delivering to the folder G or H and being run by two or three motors the gears 28, 28, 28, 28

28, and 28 are thrown in. The gears 27 and 28 and the gear 35 are thrown out. The gear 31 is thrown into mesh with the gear 29 andthe gear 29 and 30 connected. In this way all the decks through shafts 6, 14 and 23 can be run by any of the motors.

The gears 7 and 18 are thrown into mesh for connecting up'the folder'G while the gears 18 and 19 are thrown into mesh for connecting up the folder H or the gears 7, 18 and 19 to rovide connections with both folders G and H. These results in Figs. 12 and 13.

are shown 28 are thrown out and 28 thrown in. Otherwise the connections are the same except the motor clutches. If the motor K is disabled, the motor L i can be connectedwith the shaft 6 by throwing out clutch l and coupling the gears 29 and 30 together, or the motor M can be connected by uncoupling the gears 29 and 30 and throwing the gear 31 into mesh with the gear 29. If the motor L is disabled the motor K can be connected with the shaft 14:

by throwing out the clutch 8 and coupling the gears 29 and 30 together, or the motor M can be connected by uncoupling the gears 29 and 30 and connecting the gears30 and 31. If the motor M is disabled the motor K can be connected to shaft 23 by throwing out the clutch uncoupling the gears 29 and 30 from each other and coupling the gears 29 and 31. The motor L can be connected by imcoupling the gears 29 and 30 and connecting the gears 30 and 31. If it is desired to connect the motor L to either the motor K or M the folder J can be silenced by disconnecting the gears 35 and 36.

Although not usually necessary, we can connect any two, three, or four .of the decks to run together, even those which are not adjacent, but usually in that case some of the decks could not be run independently.

It will be understood, of course, that these are only a few of the combinations that can- 'be provided for by means of this arrangement and that a great many more can be efi'ected bythis mechanism. In other words, it will be seen that in the double sextuple parallel type of press shown in the drawings the decks can be coupled to run as three quads, two sextuples, an octuple, or a double sex-tuple, and that the three motors are arranged so that either one, two or three of them can be connected to drive any combination of presses that can be arranged. It is obvious also that if any deck of any combination is disabled any other deck can be connected to complete the combination, and that the folders G and H are so arranged that they can be coupled to either motor drive.

Although we have illustrated and 'described only a single form of the invention and shown only a few of the ways in which it may be operated, we are aware of the fact that many modifications can be made in the constructlon and combination of parts herein shown and described, and that the parts can be connected up in many other ways without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the particular number of decks or series herein shown and described, to the partlcular combinations illustrated, or to the details of construction shown, but what we do claim is 1. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of series of decks, a-plurality of motors, said series being arranged. adjacent and parallel to each other, and the couples being capable of being connected to run in three quads, and means whereby each motor can be connected independently of the others with any of'said quads or with a plurality of them.

2. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of series of three decks each, three motors, said series being arranged adjacent and parallel to each other, and means whereby each motor can be connected independently of the others with each of said decks.

3. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of printing couples arranged adjacent and parallel to each other in a plurality of series of decks, means for connecting said couples to operate in groups, means comprising a plurality of main shafts each adapted to be connected with a separate group for running it independently of the other main shafts, and a motor for each of said main shafts each adapted to be connected with any of them or a plurality of them and disconnected therefrom. 1 i

4. In a printing press, the combination of a row of impression cylinders, a shaft adjacent thereto, means for connecting said shaft with, and disconnecting it from, said impression cylinders individually, a transverse line of shafting adapted to operate said shaft, means for connecting said line of shafting with one of said cylinders directly independently of said shaft, and means for 'running said. shaft and line of shafting independently of each other.

5. In a printing press, the combination of two sets 'of printing couples arranged in said rows, two shafts, one adjacent to each of said rows, means for connecting each of said shafts with, and disconnect'ng it from, the cylinders of its row individually, a transverse line of shafting, means for connecting saidlineof shafting with one cylinder of each row directly, a second'line of shafting for running said two shafts, and means for disconnecting both of said lines of shafting independently of each other at points between the two shafts.

6. In a printing press, the combination of two sextuples of printing couples arranged side by side, three motors, two lines of shafting, means for coupling each motor independently of the other lines to any one of said lines of shafting, and means whereby groups of one, two or'three of said printing .coufles can be operated from any one of sai lines of shafting.

7. In a printing press, the combination of two sextuples arranged side b side, each comprising three printin coup es arranged one over the other, eac printing couple bein in alignment with a printing couple of t e other sextuple, three independent motors, three shafts, means for coupling 7 each motor independently to any one of said shafts, and means'whereby groups of one, two or three of said. printing can be operated from any one of said shafts.

8 In a printin press, the. combination of a plurality of series of decks,.a plurality-of "motors, a series of main shafts adapted to be run by each motor but detachably connected therewith, lines of shafting each adapted to be connected with any one of said series of shafts independently, and means for connecting said decks independ- ,ently of each other with said lines of shafting, whereby the decks can be connected up to be operated in multiple by any one of the motors.

9. In a printing press, the combination of two impression cylinders, a separate shaft for running each of said cylinders, means .for disconnecting each of 'said cylinders from its shaft, a line of shafting having a clutch therein, means connected with said line of shafting for runnin one of the first named shafts, and means w ereby the other of said impression cylinders can be 0 erated directly by said line of shafting in ependently of its own shaft.

- 10. In a printing press, the combination of a vertical series of decks each having an operating gear, a second vertical series of decks each having an operating gear, two

vertical shafts, one for each series of decks.

arranged to operate the'respective gears of couples that series, whereby any number of decks" ing said shaft with, and disconnecting it from,- said cylinders individually, a line of shafting, a train of gears, one gear thereofbeing connectedwith the line of shafting and one with one only of the impression cylinders, the first named shaft being operable independently of the last named gear, whereby that impression cylinder can be run either from the line of shafting or from. the first named shaft.

12. In a printing press, the combination of two sets'of impression cylinders arranged in vertical parallel rows, two shafts, one adjacent to each of said rows, means for connecting eachof said shafts with, and disconnecting it from, the cylinders of its row individually, a line ofshafting, means for connecting said line of shafting with one' cylinder or row directly, and means for run-- ning said shafts and line of shafting independently of each other, said line of shaftmg comprising two shafts detachably connected, said means for connecting said line of shafting withsaid impression cylinders being adapted to transmit power from the line of shafting to the impression cylinders respectively when said impression cylinders are disconnectedv from the first named shafts. p

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.--

' I HENRY ALWISE WOOD.

JOHN A. ISBELL. Witness: Y

BLODWEN W, J ones. 

